A Truly Cinematic Cartoon

A few years prior to this day, I had yet to take a single glimpse on
Samurai Jack. For some time, I heard people raving about its
outstanding animation techniques, never seen before fighting sequences
and humor. Curiosity and anxiety surrounded my mind, wondering if it
really reached or even surpassed the standards set by Dexter's
Laboratory and The Powerpuff Girls. Incidentally, Genndy Tartakovsky,
the creator of this new show, has worked on the previous two before and
based on my knowledge, his vision upon the animation industry is pretty
unlike anything any other animators have seen before.

Not long after its first run, I managed to witness an episode of
Samurai Jack on Cartoon Network in my aunt's house. In fact, in my
first viewpoint, the show really seemed a bit simplistic, focused more
on battles and at some points, a sense of humor to keep the audience's
interest. Yes, it bears similarity to other Genndy's older works.
However, I'm just talking to one of the episodes shown on the channel.
Initially, the similarity ended when I began to watch the rest of the
episodes.

The plot itself is quite simple: Samurai Jack (his original Japanese
name remains a mystery) lives in ancient Japan where his homeland is
being ravaged by a mightily powerful but weird-looking, sometimes
insipid demon named Aku. Jack used his mystical sword to fight him and
eventually he defeats him after a few bouts. But before Jack manages to
destroy the demon once and for all, Aku casts a spell that sends Jack
into the future, a time when Aku reigns supreme. Now, it is up to Jack
to find a way to go back into the past by wandering around the
futuristic cities, barren wastelands and ancient ruins inhabited by
aliens and other bizarre creatures you haven't seen before and most
importantly, meeting allies and friends (like the crazed muscular
Scotsman) to give our struggling hero spiritual hope and motivation to
reach his destiny (the maturity of Jack can be seen throughout the
seasons, as he seems to be more confident and has the right to call
himself 'The Legendary Samurai'. Something like that). The character
designs and the environments are extremely odd in Genndy's favor but
perhaps these are the reasons why Samurai Jack is such an appealing
show to watch at. Firstly, unlike the typical Saturday cartoons we
usually see, it is almost an ambiguous cartoon with really abstract
elements (specially when you watch a peculiar episode for the first
time ever). You have absolutely no idea what is going on there: the
creatures, the aliens, the bizarre skyscrapers, the contraptions. They
are all refreshingly cubic and bizarre and yet have a reason for their
existence. Despite its subtle and uneven premise, Samurai Jack is
simply a straightforward action show with easily identifiable objects
(toon experts will know that for sure) and characters (its basic
concept is mostly derived from the Star Wars universe, in which Genndy
also directs under the name Clone Wars). At one case, some of the
elements of Samurai Jack are derived from Akira Kurosawa's movies,
anime (both state-of-the-art or cliché) and on another point, famous
American icons and world cultures. Some even serve as a precursor to
Craig McCracken's Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends with bits and
pieces from Dexter's Lab and PPG. Sure, most of the episodes don't
capture the scope of full-length movies but the slowness of its nature
allows the audience to accept the fact that it almost feels like a
movie, in a shorter form at least. If you ask whether the show's
appropriate for kids, well, Samurai Jack is a surprisingly violent
cartoon (that's beyond the boundary of Dex and PPG) but that otherwise
proves that Genndy's skills to handle a particular context has matured.

What really fascinate me are Genndy's abilities to master the essential
film-making techniques such as pace, flow, mise-en-scene and mood,
smooth animation and most importantly, character appeal such as Samurai
Jack himself. Some sequences are even squeezed in to a particular ratio
aspect to provide a cinematic point of view as well as to increase the
tension of a situation. Creative editing techniques also helps to build
anticipation, fasten the pace of the action sequences (mostly
beautifully choreographed despite the fact that they are just frames of
drawings!) and create decisive matters as Jack faces frequent
pandemonium. The artwork of the show is equally impressive albeit a bit
kiddy oriented. That essentially leads to one of Genndy's strongest
trademarks and principles: simplistic designs tend to have greater
impact compared to realistic models (of 2D and 3D) by conveying
constant exaggeration, ridiculous laws of physic and common sense and
doses of good slapstick humor while maintaining its 'logical sense'
without losing direction. The show's crystal clear colors and tones
also manage to reflect the overall mood of a particular environment,
whether you can feel the serenity of ancient Japan or the unknown
danger of the dark and barren wasteland.

If it weren't for Genndy, cartoons cannot evolve into newer forms. If
Gene Deitch gave birth to 'limited animation' via Gerald McBoing Boing,
we all could say that, in my opinion, Genndy Tartakovsky gave birth to
'cinematic limited cartoons' or simply, 'Cinematic Toons'. I know these
terms don't sound right to some people but through Samurai Jack, he has
created something that proves to be revolutionary since the era of the
Renaissance (Batman, DuckTales and Tiny Toons). Since then, Genndy
Tartakovsky is now regarded as one of my most favorite 'heroes' of our
time!

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50 out of 53 people found the following review useful:

A Godsend for American Animation

Samurai Jack has something sorely lacking in American animated entertainment
- greatness. Not since the Batman series, or perhaps ever, has a American
cartoon flaunted such daring visual bravado, intelligent cinematic
storytelling, intense action, and a revolutionary spirit so confidently -
it's a warmly welcomed shake-up to the monotonous humdrum continuum of TV
animation in this country. Genndy Tartakovsky (creator of Dexter's
Laboratory) has captured lightning in a bottle with his latest brainchild,
and in doing so has demolished the mold for cartoons both present and
future. Indeed, calling this show itself a cartoon seems somehow
disrespectful and stereotypical. Here, the freedom allowed by the medium
brings the story of Jack and his vendetta against a millenial nemesis named
Aku in the far future feverishly to life. Every background, set piece,
character, and detail are all strikingly imagined, almost shocking in their
originality. The minimalist nature of the animation itself gives the
program a unique and powerful vitality, and the abstract and sometimes
surreal stylization is unlike anything ever seen in cartoons. Tartakovsky
avoids the clunky and often lifeless quagmire of more detailed and lifelike
approaches to action animation and instead opts for he intensity and impact
of a comic book in motion, and the results are both awesome and
beautiful.

More than anything else, Samurai Jack truly feels like a work of art, like
something that is crafted rather than produced. It's a testament to the
fact that animation in the U.S. can be cutting edge, revolutionary, and
mature. Truth be told, I haven't been excited about a new television
program in quite a while. Time will tell, but Samurai Jack seems destined
for masterpiece status - not only here in America, but quite possibly
worldwide.

I thought that America had no imagination left in the realm of animation.
Yes, there's Disney and Don Bluth and Bakshi... But that was 'then'... I
had no hope left... Then a teeny-tiny channel called "the Cartoon
Network"
appeared... Hmm... Dexter... Powerpuff Girls... Hmm... Then came a
Samurai warrior... HOLY @#$%&*! Where did this come from? WOW! In the
history of American animated TV series I have never seen such great
craftmanship... The backgrounds are exquisite. Painted, airbrushed,
computer-generated -I DON'T CARE!!! They are beautful. Not only in it's
execution but it's scheer originality and beauty. The lack of symmetry
and
use of light and odd colors add to its uniqueness and effect. It adds so
much to the wonder of the bizarre Aku-ruled Earth. ACTION! SO MUCH
ACTION!!!! Wonderful, swift, exciting and technically magnificent. The
fight scenes are choreographed wonderfully and just plain EXCITING!!!
I've
never said that about any animated show! Jack's eyes and movements flow
sweetly and say so much. Very few cartoons come across so well (Ren &
Stimpy is an exception) with such grace and simplicity without losing it's
integrity. But the artwork isn't the end of it: GREAT WRITING!!! What's
that? Writing? Wha? Yes. The terrific stories and engaging characters
are just as electric and fresh as the artwork that represents it. Every
time I watch an episode there is always something I don't expect. So much
creativity pours from either the animator's pens or the writer's pens.
BEST
ANIMATED SHOW OF ALL TIME. Yes, even better than BATTLE OF THE PLANETS...
well maybe... ;)

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42 out of 45 people found the following review useful:

A brilliant production on every level.

It seems that Genndy Tartakovsky was only getting warmed up with "Dexter's
Laboratory" and "Powerpuff Girls". With those shows he proved he was a
comic genius; with "Samurai Jack" he demonstrates that he is a genius,
period. Every single aspect of the movie premiere is top-notch. Phil
LaMarr is wonderful as Jack. James Venable's score beautifully captures
the
tone and has just the right mix of traditional Oriental and electronic
sounds. I liked the fact that there did not seem to be any unnecessary
dialogue (in fact several scenes--most notably the beginning--have almost
no
dialogue at all). The animation and backgrounds are very stylish and
striking, and the filmmakers even allow the art to escape the confines of
the square 1.33:1 TV ratio with some split-screen and widescreen shots used
to great effect. It is my hope that the series continues to be as good as
the premiere is. This will be on you "must-watch" list.

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32 out of 34 people found the following review useful:

Subtly brilliant

One of the things that sets Jack apart from other animated action
series is its use of subtlety. Though full of scenes of intense action,
there are also long stretches with no dialogue, using imagery to tell
the story. The art direction is excellent. Some viewers find the
characters have a strange graphic style but it works well in the
context of the strange world where Jack finds himself.

I especially like the use of different sizes of wide-screen to aid in
the story-telling. A full-frame scene will shift to different ratios of
widescreen to emphasize images such as a great distance between two
characters or to focus on one's eyes. The series also includes subtle
humour (note again, subtlety), such as Jack dressing up as a teenager
to infiltrate a rave party or accidentally being transformed into a
chicken!

Phil LaMarr is excellent as usual as Jack and Mako is the perfect voice
for Aku. Those who dismiss it as an anime rip-off should consider the
difference between "rip-off" and "inspired by".

The Age of the Samurai has returned...

It shows a magnificent samurai, dubbed the name Jack, on a journey to return
to the past after he is sent to a dark and unwelcome future run by his
archnemesis, the dark shape-shifting wizard Aku.

Along the way, he helps restore order to the forsaken wasteland run by evil
controllers in often incredibly action-packed, or otherwise hilarious, ways
(in one episode, Jack is turned into a rooster and is forced to take part in
cock fighting--which is actually legal during that time).

Genndy Tartakouvsky is an animation genius, coming out with ideas such as
Dexter's Laboratory, The Powerpuff Girls, and the micro-series Star Wars:
Clone Wars, which has a second season coming up. The artwork for Samurai
Jack is beautiful and the battle scenes are well-thought and brilliantly
drawn. The adventures that Jack goes through can be sometimes funny, but
still are always action packed. The ideas for Jack's adventures are
brilliant as well.

Long Ago In A Distant Land...

Samurai Jack is the quintessence of cartoon storytelling today. there
is no two-ways about it.

let me break it down for you: Long ago in a distant land, Aku, the
shape-shifting master of darkness, unleashed an unspeakable evil, but a
samurai warrior wielding a magic sword stepped fourth to oppose him.
before the final blow was struck, Aku opened a portal in time, flinging
the samurai into the future, where Aku's evil is law. now the samurai
seeks to return to the past, and undo the future that is Aku.

the first story involves the samurai landing in the future, he is given
a name by some enthusiastic street-urchins (Jack), and finds himself in
a rough bar filled with belligerent aliens and talking dogs. these dogs
are in desperate peril, and seek jack's help in a very obvious
reference to Akira Kurosowa's masterpiece The Seven Samurai.

as the series continues, Jack's quest becomes less a focal point of the
story, and more a vehicle for various short stories. great storytelling
needs but three things: a setting, a protagonist, and a goal. Jack uses
this idea to exploit a formula of diversity. anything the
animator/writers throw on the wall, generally sticks. the ambiguity of
the show allows for a free-form format that has made shows like Cowboy
Bebop and Justice League Unlimited fellow masterpieces of the serial
animation format. stories range from horror, science fiction and
fantasy, to comedy, Wu shu, drama, noir, giant robo and epic action.

Jack is a child of a lot of inspiration, things like Star Wars and
Akira Kurosowa are obvious influences, but the works of Marvel and DC
comics, as well as the work of graphic novelist Frank Miller are all
very apparent references. (infact Miller's acclaimed graphic novel
Ronin is very similar in plot to Samurai Jack, and there is an entire
episode based upon the premise of 300, another Miller book which has
also become a Hollywood film.)

Jack is, by all means, an action show. in a given show there is maybe
10-15 minutes of action in a 24 minute episode, however in later
seasons, the formula of Jack as an action show recedes heavily, and the
show becomes more of a sampler-plate of creativeness. the stories are
as charming and moving as they are diverse and epic.

Samurai Jack is a brilliant show, it's influences are long-spread and
it will undoubtedly be remembered as a staple of artistic television.

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21 out of 27 people found the following review useful:

If Kurasawa directed a cartoon, SAMURAI JACK would be it

Rich in visual design, and with an dark, gritty atmosphere,
SAMURAI
JACK is a landmark cartoon in the making. It tells the story of
a
Japanese warrior with the unlikely name of Jack who undergoes
some serious training to take on a ruthless wizard named Aku
(which
means "evil" in Japanese). Filled with hard-edged action (but
with
no grapic violence, since SAMURAI JACK is a product of the
Cartoon
Network) and a nifty storyboard that switches from feudal Japan
to
a BLADE RUNNER-like future, SAMURAI JACK is an animated
revevaltion
waiting to happen.

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13 out of 14 people found the following review useful:

Superb!

When I was first introduced to this show, I wasn't expecting to love
it. I don't just love it, I adore it! I feared it wouldn't be my thing,
but there are many reasons why Samurai Jack is worth seeing. The
animation consistently is absolutely outstanding, the whole show is
amazing to watch, whether it is the backgrounds, character features,
special effects or the colours. The music is wonderful also, a perfect
mix of oriental and electronic sounds really add to the authenticity.
The story lines are superb and interesting springing from a great idea,
and the writing is top notch, funny and intelligent. Likewise with the
voice acting, with Phil LaMarr especially impressive in the title role.
Overall, just a superb show, easily one of the better shows on Cartoon
Network. 10/10 Bethany Cox

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11 out of 14 people found the following review useful:

Amazing. Anyone who doesn't love it is blind

I love this show so much. Someone might complain that there isn't much of
a
plot for this show, but it's meant for people to watch one episode at a
time. There's no need to watch the entire series.
The art is AMAZING!!!!! (!) Genndy Tartakovsky changes the ratio of the
screen for dramatic effects, how they tell the story is amazing. There is
no
over all plot that carries throughout the series, all the plot you'll ever
need is in the episode itself.
Even if you don't like the story, the art in itself is beautiful. Full of
style and grace.